by the scriptures of truth, to be the figure of him that was to come. Hence in the Old Testament Christ is called the everlasting Father: and he is called Adam also in the New: "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." Christ therefore is the truth of that type, and the substance of that figure; and no doubt but this was made known from the beginning; for, if all God's friends and neighbours, which must be angels and saints, are called together to rejoice at the finding of one lost sheep, that there may be joy among the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, it can hardly be thought that so great and wonderful a mystery should be concealed in the beginning.

2. Another thing that seems to me to be made known from the beginning is, a secret decree of God; and all God's decrees are truth. This we have in the Psalms: "I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee," Psalm ii. 7. The day there spoken of is what the wise man calls perfect day, in which the shining path of the righteous is said to end: "The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Heaven and eternity with God is called day; as it is written, "And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there," Rev. xxi. 25. The begetting the Son above mentioned

does not, I humbly conceive, respect his holy and divine nature, but his personality. This decree seems to have been declared from the beginning; for without a revelation how could it have been known to men or angels that God had a son? "Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" I have no doubt but this was revealed to all the angels at the beginning, for it is plain that the devils, in the days of Christ's incarnation, well understood it, and confessed it: "What

have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee torment me not. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man."

3. There went forth also a commandment from God to all the angels of heaven, and I believe it went forth at the beginning, which is this, "Worship him, all ye gods," Psalm xcvii. 7. We are told by the Holy Ghost that the true meaning of that command is this, "When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." And in that command the Lord's sonship seems to be clearly revealed. The universal particle, all, shows that there was not one angel exempt from that divine command, "Let all the angels of God worship him;" and this was to be done when the firstbegotten was to appear in the world, that is, when

he became incarnate; for, as Christ is God, and God is immensity itself, and fills all space, the bringing him in does not signify any motion from place to place, but the humiliation of himself when he became man, or when he assumed human nature; and it is plain that all the elect angels of God did worship him on the very day of his birth. "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men," Luke ii. 8-14. There is one particular in this passage that strikes me, and that is, there is first an account of one angel speaking, and of no more; "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them." Again: "And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings," &c.; and then all the heavenly host began their anthem. From which it appears to me

that he was an archangel that led in the worship of our Immanuel, and very likely the angel Gabriel, which was the name of the angel that brought to Zacharias the tidings of the birth of John, our Lord's forerunner; as it is written, "I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings." We have the name of this angel again, telling Mary of our Lord's conception and birth; "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph." Hence I conclude that it was the angel Gabriel that led in the worship of Christ; and all the rest joined the chorus and followed in it. From which it appears that the truth from which the angels departed lies in these three things:

1. That Adam was the figure of Christ, and Christ the truth of that type.

2. That the decree declared respecting the sonship of Christ is the second branch of truth, for he is the Son of the Father in truth and love.

3. The word of God is truth, whether it be commandments or promises, and shall stand fast for ever; for the scriptures cannot be broken, nor shall one jot ever pass away unfulfilled; nor will God call back his word, or alter the thing that is gone forth out of his lips; and this is a truth, among many others, "Worship him, all ye gods;" "Let all the angels of God worship him." And

this command stands fast, for all the angels of God did worship him; and, if fallen angels did not, or would not, it doth not alter the matter, for it is plain they have lost the title of being angels of God, and are all called devils to this day, and will continue to be devils to all eternity.

I do not suppose that all these things were fully made known to the angels at the hour of their creation, but rather at the marriage of Adam and Eve, and more fully in heaven soon after; for God declareth "the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure," Isaiah xlvi. 10. The angels knew their Creator to be the Son of God, for unto the angels he saith, "Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." And they had all seen Adam, the figure of him that was to come, by which they knew that their Creator was to be made a little lower than the angels, or for a little while inferior to them. This was made known to them, and they were to adore him in his incarnation; for, "When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." This seems to have been the rock of offence even to these angels, and it was the stumblingblock of the Jews of old. And against God manifest in the flesh do all devils Atheists, Deists, Socinians, Arminians, and Arians, and all others that are stanch in Satan's cause, kick to this day, which shews